Avian influenza outbreak intensifies in Canada
Ontario has its first case since May, while additional cases are found in Alberta and Manitoba
Five new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry flocks were confirmed in Canada between September 16 and September 18, affecting flocks in three provinces.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the three of those new cases were confirmed in Alberta. The first one was detected on September 16 in the Municipal District of Wainwright. A day later, HPAI was confirmed in Warner County, and on the following day, the presence of the virus was confirmed in Smoke Lake County. These cases mark the second in 2022 for both Wainwright and Warner County and the first for Smoke Lake County.
In Manitoba, HPAI was confirmed in a commercial flock in the Rural Municipality of Cartier on September 16. This is Cartier’s second case of HPAI this year.
Then, on September 17, a case of HPAI was confirmed in Zorra Township, Ontario, making it the province’s first case in commercial poultry since May. This latest detection mark’s Zorra Township’s second case of 2022.
CFIA did not disclose information concerning the size of these five flocks, or what type of commercial operations they were.
To date, Alberta has had 29 cases of HPAI in commercial poultry flocks in 2022, with seven of those occurring in September. Meanwhile, Ontario has had 21 cases this year and Manitoba has had three – two of which were confirmed in September.
Other provinces to have confirmed HPAI cases in commercial poultry flocks this year include Quebec, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, which have had nine, eight and five cases, respectively.
HPAI continues to be problematic in the United States, with recent cases being confirmed in Minnesota, Ohio, California and Utah.
Source: wattagnet.com